| Irish Rail |
3473 Posts Joined 06 Mar 2006 Location Finglas    
I'm unaccustomed to Irish Rail but from today for the next week I'm commuting from Mullingar. First trip up is over with. I've a question though. Why do trains stop even though they aren't at a stop/platform. I've an idea it's to give way for another train but I've never experienced this stoppage in another country.
Anybody know what the deal is with that? I've gotten the train once before to Mullingar and it was just over an hour (and that included a 10min stop at Maynooth, again what was this for?) whereas the one I got up to Dublin this morning took 1 hour and 25mins with a 2min or so stop at enfield, kilcock, maynooth and drumcondra.
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3473 Posts Joined 06 Mar 2006 Location Finglas
I just re-read that post. i sound like a moaner. But I'm just wondering is all.
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5674 Posts Joined 01 Feb 2007 Location Dublin
AGH! I hate hate hate Irish Rail with a passion.
The reason they stop at almost every fucking station like that is because there's only one length of track outside of the stations. This is so infuriating because if one train is delayed by 10 minutes in the morning, by the end of the day the trains could be delayed by an hour or more.
One time I was on a train that broke down a mile outside of my destination (about two hours from Dublin). After a while, passengers asked to get off and just walk to the station but we were told we had to wait for a replacement engine to come down from Dublin! Passengers begged if we could just go up to the main road and walk from there but again we were refused. We were kept on the train like prisoners. One passenger actually got off and went running down the track but the staff all legged after him and brought him back. We got one free tea each and our money back (eventually).
I hate Irish Rail so much. They have a monopoly and can do whatever the fuck they like. I just wish Michael O'Leary would take over.
Plus they overcharge. And the staff are rude.
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5674 Posts Joined 01 Feb 2007 Location Dublin
I feel like I've just been talking to Joe Duffy
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15160 Posts Joined 02 Sep 2005 Location Dublin
Sounds like you got a weiight off your chest there Suks....lol
I hate Irish Rail with a passion too, and only get the train as a very last resort. Met up with one of my cousins over Christmas, and he was telling me that his return tickets from Dublin to Killarney cost almost €97. Yikes, he could have flown to the UK for less...
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""In my day, when summat bad happened, you stayed home, got drunk, and bit on a shoe""
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5674 Posts Joined 01 Feb 2007 Location Dublin
Another thing that happened... Last year they advertised €10 return tickets so I decided to get the train over the bus at that price. When I went to the ticket desk, they said that offer wasn't on. I was pissed off and let them know it but couldn't do anything as the last bus had gone. I ended up paying €40.
Then got on the train. The first stop was Drumcondra. The ticket collector came on and took tickets. A girl boarded there also and sat next to me. She had to buy a ticket off him and only paid the €10 fare. When I asked him why I had to pay €40 minutes beforehand he said that the €10 offer couldn't be purchased in Connolly but only on the train or at every other station. Of course, there were no terms & conditions to stipulate this ridiculous rule anywhere on the poster or online.
I actually think Irish Rail are the scum of the earth. Seriously. When the Nuclear Holocaust hits, it won't be cockroaches that survive. It'll be Irish Rail.
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454 Posts Joined 07 Jul 2008 Location City Centre
Let's not forget this either . . .
Irish Rail under fire for free travel pass ban on gay partners
By Ciaran Byrne and Allison Bray
Friday September 05 2008
IARNROD Eireann has ordered its ticket checking staff to stop the partners or companions of gay people using free-travel passes.
The move, outlined in a confidential memo, has provoked anger in the gay community which has accused Irish Rail of active discrimination.
Irish Rail only allows couples -- strictly defined as a man and a woman -- to use the passes, a practice dubbed "stone-age" by campaigners.
The company last night defended the latest crackdown, claiming it is simply enforcing Department of Social and Family Affairs rules. The department says "companion" travel passes can only be used by a married couple or a cohabiting couple -- defined as a man and woman.
Those receiving old-age pensions, blind persons' pensions, and disability allowances are those mostly entitled to free-travel passes.
An Irish Rail memo pasted inside a ticket booth at Dublin's Heuston Station refers to an amendment of the Social Welfare Bill in 2004 which was introduced to stop same-sex couples availing of free travel.
The memo, stamped 2008, was signed by the manager for revenue protection for Irish Rail and says gay couples "are not entitled" to a married/partner type pass.
It adds only those "of a different gender" are allowed to use the pass.
It is understood the latest crackdown was ordered after Irish Rail noticed a number of elderly same-sex couples had attempted to travel on the passes. But campaigners expressed surprise that Irish Rail has now decided to take a "proactive" approach to enforcing a ban they say is discriminatory.
Kieran Rose, chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), said the gay rights organisation would be concerned about such a move against homosexual couples.
"It highlights the urgency of bringing in the Civil Partnership Bill," he said of the bill introduced in June that would afford gay and cohabitating heterosexual couples the same legal status as married couples
Tribunal
It would appear that Irish Rail's travel pass policy would be illegal under the new legislation, which has yet to pass the Dail, he said.
But he stopped short of taking the Government to court or a tribunal to fight the ban.
"We'd be happy to meet with the relevant organisations to bring forward an appropriate solution," he told the Irish Independent last night.
A spokesman for the Equality Authority said it has not received any complaints to date on the matter.
However, in 2003 an Equality Authority tribunal ruled in favour of a gay couple who claimed CIE -- the parent company of Irish Rail -- was discriminatory in its free-travel pass scheme on the basis of sexual orientation.
A spokesman for Irish Rail said: "Iarnrod Eireann, in common with other public transport providers, is obliged to ensure the terms of the Free-Travel Scheme as set out by the Department of Social and Family Affairs are adhered to.
"The DSFA pays for free travel, and therefore it is the authority which sets the parameters of who is and who is not entitled to free travel."
- Ciaran Byrne and Allison Bray
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5674 Posts Joined 01 Feb 2007 Location Dublin
That's so typical of Irish Rail. And reminds me of their policy on the student travel card. Irish Rail are the only national body that will ONLY accept the student travel card, which you have to buy. Bus Eireann etc are happy to accept your colleges student card. Wankers.
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504 Posts Joined 28 Oct 2009 Location Limerick
I think Irish Rail is wonderful. I use it whenever possible instead of driving. It's better for our environment and quality of life.
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3521 Posts Joined 05 Dec 2008 Location Clontarf North West
*gets popcorn*
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5674 Posts Joined 01 Feb 2007 Location Dublin
He's right though. Trains are better for the environment. But Irish Rail are still wankers so have a monopoly in this country. It's not right.
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504 Posts Joined 28 Oct 2009 Location Limerick
suks said :
He's right though. Trains are better for the environment. But Irish Rail are still wankers so have a monopoly in this country. It's not right.
SNCF is a monopoly and provides the best rail service in the world.
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